Lin commemorates homecoming with big game

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NEW YORK — Jeremy Lin was a New York Knick for 35 games, which, put in perspective, is 26 fewer games than Hakeem Olajuwon spent as a Toronto Raptor.

That only made Monday night’s homecoming party more remarkable. A place where Lin spent barely half of a lockout-clipped season became the site of his grand welcome. He was cheered loudly in the pregame introductions and booed loudly when he began dropping in his 22 points and leading the Rockets to a 109-96 win that didn’t feel that close.

It was Lin’s night back home, even if “home” was more of a seasonal sublet. New York is where he built his legacy. Madison Square Garden is where “Linsanity” came to life.

“It will always have a special place, because that was the beginning for me. And any time you have a stretch like that, you’ll remember it forever,” Lin said of his breakout season with the Knicks. “It will always have a special place in my heart for sure.”

Lin, a sensation in New York and especially in the Asian-American community, arrived Sunday with little fanfare and said he was actually able to enjoy a quiet dinner. And while this wasn’t his first encounter with his former teammates since he signed a three-year deal with the Rockets — that came in a 131-103 victory on Nov. 23 at Toyota Center — it was a strange feeling returning to the old home arena.

“It was a little weird; I didn’t really know where I was going,” Lin said. “It kind of reminded me of my rookie year, to be honest.”

That was with Golden State and virtually the only unprompted nod he delivered to the past Monday night. He’s trying to move past the time with the Knicks and believes nobody’s looking for a Linsanity sequel.

He thinks it was an amicable split with the Knicks, who lead the Eastern Conference at 18-6 with Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd at point guard.

“I’m in a very different place now — my mindset’s very different as well,” Lin said. “I’ve moved on. They’ve moved on. We have good memories, but at the same time, we’re all in different places now.”

Monday, for the last time this season barring an unlikely NBA Finals matchup, they were in the same place. And Lin got the best of it as the crowd gradually turned against him. From homecoming hero to a villain role that Lin shook off.

“I’m still thankful to the fans,” Lin said. “It was actually a lot better than I thought.”